GADOLINIUM-ENHANCED FAST 3-DIMENSIONAL MR -ANGIOGRAPHY FOR THE EVALUATION OF SUPRAAORTIC VESSELS

Sixty-nine patients with cervical atherosclerotic disease were evaluat ed by Magnetic Resonance (MR) angiography using a coronal 3D gradient echo gadolinium enhanced sequence. The image quality was evaluated for each artery and ostium on MIP reconstructions. A comparison with conv entional angiography was achieved in 27 patients. All MR examinations were assessable; a second injection was performed in ten patients. All carotid bifurcations were visualized. The ostium of the common caroti d artery was not assessable in 44% of cases due to the limited coverag e. The evaluation of the posterior circulation was good in 90% of case s. The agreement between MR angiography and conventional angiography w as good despite a tendency to overestimate moderate stenoses. Stenoses greater than 70%, carotid occlusions and vertebral stenoses greater t han 50% were correctly detected.